title: Comparison of serum erythromycin concentration following administration of 100 mg erythromycin ethyl succinate intramuscularly and 500 mg erythromycin stearate orally.
abstract: Serum erythromycin concentrations were estimated following administration of 100 mg erythromycin ethyl succinate intramuscularly and 500 mg erythromycin stearate orally. The subjects (30 healthy students) were randomly divided into two groups and each subject received a single dose of the alternate form of the drug after a 4-week interval. Blood samples were obtained at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3 and 4 h after administration by separate venepuncture. All 30 subjects recorded serum levels above 0.2 microgram/ml following administration of the intramuscular form of the drug. Following administration of the oral form of the drug, five subjects failed to record serum levels above 0.2 microgram/ml by the 2-h sampling time and three failed to do so by the 4th hour. It is concluded from the results that, despite the high serum levels recorded with the oral form when taken with food, the intramuscular route gives a greater assurance of consistent absorption into the blood stream. This result suggests that the use of the oral form of the drug as a prophylactic antibiotic in patients receiving dental treatment remains in doubt.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood*; D015643:Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015643:Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate; D004917:Erythromycin; C011462:erythromycin stearate